Permanent gates began restricting motor vehicle access to portions of the new Mike Castle Trail along the Chesapeake & Delaware Canal this weekend.

The gates will now block access to the lower tier road on the north side of the canal from the eastern-most point near the branch canal at Delaware City through the Summit Marina Area, which is intended for walking, jogging, biking and horseback riding, according to the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control.

Vehicles will continue to be permitted access to most upper-level roads for hunting and fishing purposes.

The new Mike Castle Trail is part of the 5,100-acre C&D Canal Conservation Area, which includes the north and south banks of the canal and part of the eastern shoreline of the Delaware River.